For those of you in the Western States Pension Fund (ABF, Ameripride pre-2014, ATF, Chiulista, Creamland, DMS, Franklins, Hertz, LANS, N3B, Penske, Sysco, Triad, UPS & YRC pre-2009) there is a new feature on their website where you can have access to your personal plan information.

7-23-19 - Tentative Agreement Reached for Sysco NM

To All Sysco Members:  

Your Teamster Negotiating Committee wrapped up negotiations with Sysco NM today with a Tentative Agreement.  This has been a long, drawn out process that started in the early months of 2019.  After a lot of long sessions of back and forth, your Local 492 Negotiating Committee believes we have reached the point that we have been given the best deal the Company is willing to offer. 

There will be a meeting this Saturday, July 27, 2019 at 4 pm at the Union Hall (4269 Balloon Pk Rd NE, 87109) to go over the details of the Tentative Agreement and answer your questions. We will also pass out the ballots Saturday and you will have the opportunity to vote at the end of the meeting. For those of you that are out of town or cannot make it, we will also holding meeting very soon in Farmington, Las Cruces and Roswell and will also be mailing any unclaimed ballots from the meeting to the address you have on file with Local 492. Make sure to call Darlene at 505-344-1925 ex 12 if you have moved so that you get a ballot.    

We made a lot of headway getting some of the biggest issues addressed that you, the members, told us you had with your contract.  Some of the bigger issues resolved include;

• Several improvements to the vacation language, including:

An increase to 2 weeks’ vacation after only 6 months seniority,

A 5^th week for those with 25 years or more,

The option to cash out all weeks of vacation

Company will now cash out all unused vacation upon voluntary quit, retire, resign or layoff

Paid vacation will now show as “time worked” when calculating overtime hours.

• Part-time employee’s improvements include preventing future overuse of using part-timers and terminating part-timers at will.
• The Union gave the Company the ability to post driver bids as single day (They are not forced to do so but now once again have the ability)
• The Company must now notify the Union before changing WHIP or DIP
• Increased the meal allowance for overnight drivers
• Added new language to the grievance procedure we hope will help better resolve issues that come up in the future.
• Added language to stop the abuse of supervisors working, including requirement to exhaust all those wanting overtime.
• Paid Holidays and Paid Vacations will now be included as “time worked” when calculating overtime hours.    

Some of the smaller issues resolved include:

• Multiple issues resolved regarding posting bids
• Posting overtime sheets
• Driver protection if bid is abolished
• Restructured night differential in the whse
• Extra break for whse employees working long hours

We understand that everyone wanted a huge raise and your committee did everything we could, short of a strike, to get you guys the raises that you wanted.  Although the numbers were not as high as we all had hoped, we were able to get the largest increase that Sysco NM employees have ever seen and it was front loaded. Front loading means that the increase is compounded every year with the next increase and so on. We know that these increases will still be viewed as “not enough” by some of you, but the Company was unwilling to move any further than their last offer. It is now up to you to decide whether this agreement is acceptable. Because of all of the great language improvements made to the contract, the Union is recommending this Tentative Agreement. We hope to see this Saturday!!!!

6/22/2019 - As most of you at Sysco NM know, there was a great turnout of Sysco members tonight who unanimously voted to authorize a strike.

The message tonight was very, very, loud and clear, the Sysco Teamsters are not willing to put up with substandard contracts and are ready to walk the picket line in order to let the company know that they are serious! The Teamster negotiating committee heard the workers voices and we will be carrying that message to the negotiation table on Tuesday when we meet with the company again. 

After the vote tonight,  the  Sysco workers Teamster negotiation committee met for about 90 minutes with the IBT and formulated a plan for the possible strike and events leading up to it. Hopefully the company will give these Sysco Teamster workers the best contract possible, but if they don't, tonight's unanimous vote gives the negotiating committee the mandate needed to do what's necessary. 

Thank you to everybody who came out, especially those members who live hundreds of miles away. Thank you for all of the overwhelming support that we have received from this great Teamster unit. Tonight's meeting was the largest one yet since we started this negotiation process in January. Sysco Teamsters should be very proud of the unity amongst this group that was shown tonight. We have no doubt that the Sysco Teamsters will show their overwhelming unity and solidarity on the picket line as well. 

We will keep the Sysco Teamsters updated as events occur, so make sure your Sysco coworkers are receiving emails and/or texts. Communication is key moving forward as things may happen very quickly (one way or the other) and everyone needs to know what's going on. Knowledge is power!!!

ABF Teamster Donald Wood has been named a Highway Angel by the Truckload Carriers Association for his bravery during a blinding snowstorm when he helped an elderly man whose vehicle had gone off the road.

On January 12, 2019, Brother Wood notice some headlights in the snow around 100 yards in the distance while he waited out a bad snowstorm in Liberal Kansas. He noticed the vehicle was not moving. “I knew something was wrong,” said Donald Wood. So he walked in the blizzard towards the headlights and found a small pickup & camper trailer stuck in a snowdrift with a man and dog by a playground slide. “He was so happy to see me,” recalled Brother Wood. “He said he didn’t know where he was and he was afraid he would freeze to death out there. I told him I would stay with him and get him out.”

Donald had a broken shovel he had found at the motel which he used to dig the man out which took over an hour. The elderly man was then able to wait out the storm after moving his vehicle to the motel parking lot. When the man tried to pay Brother Wood for his bravery and help, but Donald did not accept. “It’s hard to see someone stuck in those kinds of conditions,” said Brother Wood. “I just wanted to help him. As a truck driver, the people we meet along the way are all potential customers for the trucking industry. It’s important for us to show up as a positive role model and help where we can.”

TDC 2019 was another good year for the Teamster drivers that participated. There were five Teamsters that took home 1st place trophies; Donald Wood, Ricky Lucas, Kirk Weis, & Joseph Carrillo from ABF and Mike Johnson from YRC. These skilled Teamsters from New Mexico are all headed to the 2019 National Truck Driving Championships in Pittsburg Pennsylvania. Best of Luck and Skill in Pennsylvania! Congratulations to everyone! Thanks for representing yourselves, your company and your Union so well again this year and we look forward to 2020! View Photos Here

There were only 3 Teamster represented Companies that participated at this year's New Mexico Truck Driving Championships, ABF, TeamOne, and YRC, which included 26 Teamster drivers out of 118 participants, where 10 Teamster Drivers took home 14 awards, competing against non-union companies like FedEx (FedEx had 67 participants), Groendyke, Old Dominion, UPT and XPO.

The 26 Teamster participants sorted by Class: 3 Axle Class: Randall Amberman from ABF Freight, and; Stanley Aragon, Javier Cruz, Jose Hernandez, & Mike Johnson from YRC Freight.  4 Axle Class: Cameron Misner & Brian Thias from TeamOne UPS Logistics, and; Donald Wood from ABF Freight.  5 Axle Class: Robert Delgado & Joey Padilla from ABF Freight. Flatbed Class: Gerald Benavidez from ABF Freight.  Sleeper Class: Ralph Garcia & Ricky Lucas from ABF Freight, and; Michael McAfee of YRC Freight. Straight Truck Class: Kirk Weis from ABF Freight. Tanker Class: David Logan & Robert Zamora from ABF Freight, and; Richard Cruz from YRC Freight. Twin Trailers Class: Joseph Carrillo, Justin Gallant, Fernando Gonzalez, Steven Kelly Russell, & Chad Sullins from ABF Freight, and; David Martinez, Samuel Soto, Joseph Wright from YRC Freight.

ABF had 15 participants and lots of family and supporters at this year’s championships which also included ABF Freight Regional VP Andy Upchurch, West Regional Director Ed Myers, ABF Local Management and employees from the shop, dock, line haul, and office.  ABF won the Best NMTDC Team award and a Fleet safety Award, the over 5,000,000 mile safety award and Line Haul Manager Randy Archer of ABF received the 2019 Volunteer of the Year award.

The individual awards for ABF drivers; Donald Wood won 1st place in the 4 axel class (Donald Wood also won Highway Angel Award, Driver of the Quarter, & Driver of the Year Award), Joey Padilla won 2nd place in 5 axel class, Gerald Benavidez won 3rd place in the Flatbed class, Kirk Weis won 1st place in the Straight Truck class, Ricky Lucus won 1st place in the Sleeper class & Ralph Garcia won 2nd place in the Sleeper class, Robert Zamora won 3rd place in the Tanker class, and finally Joseph Carrillo not only won 1st place in Twin Trailer class, Joseph also won Grand Champion! Congratulations to Brother Carrillo, who is also a Teamster Local 492 Executive Board Trustee and the annual NM Teamster Appreciation Day Lead Event Coordinator.

TeamOne UPS Logistics had fantastic family support for their 2 tough competitors. Brian Thias won 3rd place in the 4 Axle Class, TeamOne also took home a Fleet Safety Award for 1,000,000 to 5,000,000 safe miles.

YRC had tons of family and supporters for their 9 competitors from Line Haul and City operations. Mike Johnson won his spot at the 2019 National Truck Driving Championships in Pittsburg Pa. by taking home a 1st place Award in the 3 Axle Class.

Click Here to view all 2019 the scores.

Go down memory lane below:

2017 New Mexico Truck Driving Championships

2016 New Mexico Truck Driving Championships

2015 New Mexico Truck Driving Championships

2014 New Mexico Truck Driving Championships

2013 New Mexico Truck Driving Championships

2012 New Mexico Truck Driving Championships

2011 New Mexico Truck Driving Championships

2010 New Mexico Truck Driving Championships

One of 27 Supplements Rejected, Agreement Not In Effect Until Approved

Teamster-represented workers at YRC Freight, Holland and New Penn have voted to approve the national master portion of the new YRCW National Master Freight Agreement that raises wages, restores a week of vacation and protects benefits.

The national master portion of the agreement, which covers about 25,000 workers, was ratified by a 60 percent to 40 percent margin. However, all but one of the 27 regional supplemental contracts (Joint Council 40) also passed. The national contract will not go into effect until the Joint Council 40 supplement is resolved. The parties currently have an extension agreement in effect. Employees should report to work as usual.

“Over the past decade our members have sacrificed so much to keep the YRCW companies operating, and this contract restores the week of vacation and provides $4 in wage increases, among other improvements,” said Ernie Soehl, Director of the Teamsters National Freight Division.

“This contract should improve the livelihoods of our YRCW Teamsters for the next five years,” said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President. “Freight is the backbone of our great union and this contract recognizes our members for their hard work.”

The improvements include:

• $4.00 in wage increases over five years for the vast majority of workers (an 18% increase for most drivers and dockworkers) including a $1.00 wage increase retroactive to April 1, 2019 (a 4.5% increase for most drivers and dockworkers);
• Significant increases for dock-only, clerical, maintenance employees, janitors and porters hired after February 2014 including a minimum of an immediate $1.00 wage increase retroactive to April 1, 2019;
• Restoration of the week of vacation that was given up years ago, effective April 1, 2019;
• Protection of health and welfare benefits with no employee premium co-pays. Up to $0.50 per hour increases each year for most funds. The company agreed to provide other funds with fixed guaranteed amounts to maintain benefits;
• Improved language to curb excessive executive bonuses; and
• Prohibitions against using driverless trucks.

Everyone needs to be signed up to the website because emails through the website are going to be our primary mode of communication over the next few months. ***If you know an YRC member of Local 492 who is not receiving email updates from Local 492, forward this email to them and tell them to CLICK HERE to sign up or call Trey White at 505-344-1925 ex 15***

Visit the 492 YRC Freight Negotiations 2019 Page

Agreement Increases Wages, Protects Benefits, Creates New Full-Time Jobs

The five-year contract covering about 250,000 Teamster-represented workers at UPS will take effect at 12:01 a.m. tomorrow, Monday, April 29, after workers in Michigan ratified the last outstanding supplemental agreement.

The national contract will increase wages, protect benefits and create thousands of new full-time jobs. Economic improvements in the contract are retroactive to August 1, 2018. The company has been notified of the ratification and will attempt to implement required raises during the next weekly pay period.

“This contract recognizes our members’ hard work by providing solid wage increases, protecting their health coverage, improving their retirement security and giving part-time workers the chance to advance into long-term careers,” said Denis Taylor, Co-Chair of the National Negotiating Committee and Director of the Teamsters Package Division. “We realize this has been a long process, and we appreciate our members’ patience and support.”

The UPS contract includes wage increases of $4.15 per hour for both full-time and part-time workers over the term of the contract and increases the part-time start rate by $2.50 retroactively to August 1, 2018. All full-time and part-time UPS Teamsters will continue to receive health insurance for the member and their family without paying premiums. The agreement also strengthens grievance enforcement for harassment with a sitting arbitrator and monetary penalties, and a new procedure to make it easier to get on or off the overtime list.

The agreement requires UPS to create 5,000 new full-time jobs during the term of the agreement, including a minimum of 2,000 Article 43 driver jobs, and a new combination driver classification that addresses the changes brought on through the e-commerce revolution.

Other Articles from today: UPS Final Supplement Detroit 243 Ratified

It’s Official! Today Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the new NM Film incentives into law. “New Mexico is recommitting to our film & TV industry! Signing SB 2 more than doubles the cap on the film tax credit and ensures that this booming industry will bring jobs to the entire state, not just Albuquerque and Santa Fe. We’re sending a clear message to producers inside and outside New Mexico: we want your business. Film and TV will be a bedrock of our economic diversification efforts, & this legislation represents our commitment to job creation, creative industries & sustainable growth,” said Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.

“Now, everyone in the film industry knows that New Mexico is stable. It keeps its word,” said NM House Representative, Moe Maestas. “We have the most beautiful and modern studios, the landscapes, the workers. We know New Mexico is the best place in the world and thanks to the film industry, the world will know that as well.”

Your Teamster 492 Business Agents Melissa Malcom, Trey White and Tracy McCarty, spent hundreds of hours this session lobbying Representatives and Senators in the roundhouse on behalf of the Teamsters and Labor. In particular, they lobbied for House Bill 85 and Senate Bill 2, both of which have now been signed into law! Today at the film bill signing press conference, NM Cabinet Secretary of Economic Development publicly thanked the Teamsters for working so hard to protect NM crew during the 60-day session. The Teamsters were also publicly thanked by the Governor, Representative Antonio "Moe" Maestas and Senator Nancy Rodriguez. We want to thank all of them for taking the time to listen to our concerns and their commitment to the NM workers! We would also like to thank Little West and Jon Lipshutz from the AFL-CIO for working so hard to get this film bill to the Governor’s desk!!!  

HB85: House Bill 85 was signed into law earlier this week and will prevent counties from passing anti-union bills that prevent exclusive bargaining agreements. In other words, counties will not be allowed to pass or enact RTW laws. This is a great win for ALL unions in New Mexico.

“The passage of HB 85 Union Security Agreements is a victory for all working families in New Mexico. Deceptive and divisive "right to work" laws have no place in our state. During multiple legislative sessions, working people mobilized to stop so-called right to work laws from passing in the Roundhouse. Despite this, out-of-state special interest groups tried to undermine the will of the people by pushing these laws through at the local level. Those actions were a subversion of the legislative process, undermined the State's right to determine this issue, and are a distraction from real efforts to improve the lives of working New Mexicans. With HB 85 now signed into law, we hope county and municipal officials will focus on actually creating good jobs, promoting healthy communities, and making our state a better place to live for all working families.” - Jon Lipshutz.

SB2: SB2 will reduce the current 6 year bottleneck of rebate repayment by paying off $225 million of the current $382 in film debt over the next two years and raising the annual cap from $50 millionto $110 million. This will most definitely encourage more productions to film in NM. “There was a backlog and that causes some trepidation,” Lujan Grisham said. “Allowing us to pay down what we owe sends a very strong message to the industry that New Mexico pays its bills.”

Since 2003, the NM film industry has brought about $3.5 billion to New Mexico. During fiscal year 2017, the direct spend in New Mexico from the film industry was about $464.6 million.

The new law also adds a new incentive by completely lifting the annual cap for companies who lease or buy film studios in New Mexico and also commit to filming in New Mexico for 10 years. This will encourage much needed new film infrastructure be added to the New Mexico landscape. The new law also adds a 5% incentive for filming in rural areas 60 miles outside of Santa Fe/Albuquerque area. There is a real possibility that a Las Cruces, Roswell or Farmington film facility could exist in the near future.

The new Film incentives are going to ensure that New Mexico is a huge player in the film industry for years to come. It's going to create great new jobs for New Mexicans and give our current Teamsters more job security.

The Two-Person Committee Meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, April 10, 2019 to review the tentative National Agreement covering YRC Freight, Holland and New Penn and Supplemental Agreements. If the Two-Man committee approves the tentative YRC National Master Freight Agreement and supplements, it will then be sent to the YRC members for a member ratification vote. More details will be sent to you after the meeting and Teamsters Local 492 will then post and email out the Tentative Agreement

***If you know an YRC member of Local 492 who is not receiving email updates from Local 492, forward this email to them and tell them to go to www.teamsters492.org to sign up or call Trey White at 505-344-1925 ex 15***

The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) and YRCW companies, YRC Freight, New Penn and Holland, have reached a tentative agreement in principle for a new collective bargaining agreement to succeed the current agreement which is expiring on March 31.

TNFINC has granted a contract extension of the current agreement through May 31, 2019 in order to allow the parties to finalize some language and a few supplemental issues as well as to allow the union’s ratification process to take place.

National Freight Director and TNFINC Co-Chair Ernie Soehl stated, “The parties have worked incredibly hard to reach a new tentative agreement in principle. There were a lot of issues, history and emotions involved with these negotiations. I want to thank the union’s bargaining committee for its hard work and support. We certainly got creative, but I believe we got every penny we could have and that this contract will improve Teamster lives.”

As with the union’s practice, details of the tentative agreement will not be released until after they have been reviewed at a two-person meeting which will be scheduled in the near future. 

Click here For PDF of this article

Everyone needs to be signed up to the website because emails through the website are going to be our primary mode of communication over the next few months. ***If you know an YRC member of Local 492 who is not receiving email updates from Local 492, forward this article to them and tell them to CLICK HERE to sign up or call Trey White at 505-344-1925 ex 15***

Visit the 492 YRC Freight Negotiations 2019 Page

Santa Fe Roundhouse March 15, 2019 4 am - After hundreds of man-hours spent by your 492 Business Agents Melissa Malcolm, Trey White and Tracy McCarty, who have been lobbying Representatives and Senators in the roundhouse over the last 3 weeks, House Bill 85 passed this week and Senate Bill 2 has passed 41-24 at 3 am this morning!

SB2: The passage of SB2 will reduce the current 6 year bottleneck of rebate repayment by paying off $225 million of the current film debt over the next two years and raising the annual cap from $50 million to $110 million. This will most definitely encourage more productions to film in NM.  

The new law also adds a new incentive by completely lifting the annual cap for companies who lease or buy film studios in New Mexico and also commit to filming in New Mexico for 10 years. This will encourage much needed new film infrastructure be added to the New Mexico landscape. The new law also adds a 5% incentive for filming in rural areas 60 miles outside of Santa Fe/Albuquerque area. There is a real possibility that a Las Cruces, Roswell or Farmington film facility could exist in the near future.

The passage of SB2 is going to ensure that New Mexico is a huge player in the film industry for years to come. It's going to create great new jobs for New Mexicans and give our current Teamsters more job security.

Teamsters Local 492 would like to thank Representative Antonio "Moe" Maestas, Senator Nancy Rodriguez, Little West and Jon Lipshutz from the AFL-CIO for working so hard to pass a film bill that may double the film industry in NM over the next few years!!!

HB85: House Bill 85 will prevent counties from passing anti-union bills that prevent exclusive bargaining agreements. In other words, counties will not be allowed to pass or enact RTW laws. This is a great win for unions in New Mexico.

Both bills now move to the governor’s desk to hopefully be signed.